Silkie Sex Change?

[TurtleFeathers]

Hi all -

I have a group of 7 silkies that hatched in mid October last year, so they're just 6 months old. I know that that 3 are cockerels, first, because they crow - they also developed streamers, long neck feathers, small wattles and walnut combs between about 3 and almost 5 months of age.

Of the 4 remaining silkies, 2 have just started to lay eggs, so I know they're pullets. I was pretty sure the other 2 were hens also, because they had no physical male characteristics - until a couple weeks ago, 1 of them started developing teeny tiny wattles. Then today, I noticed that not only have her wattles gotten alittle bigger, but "she" now has a small comb developing. "She" has no streamers, "she" has very short neck feathers, and "she" just doesn't seem to walk/stand as straight and erect as the cockerels do. PLUS, I've seen one of the cockerels attempting to breed with "her" on a couple different occasions.

Any opinions on this? I know silkies are notorious for being hard to sex, but to my inexperienced eye, its especially difficult, so I thought I'd ask the experts!

Thanks so much!

Kathy

 

[Featherland]

Pictures would help.

 

[Smoky73]

It is most likely that it is a girl at that age anyway. The fact that she grew tiny wattles and a small comb just means that she is close to begin laying more than likley. Some females do have a bumb or a small comb so do not let that panic you.

 

[Chicken_girl17]

I haven had this exactly happen but I have heard that for some people when a rooster isn’t around a hen will basically transition to a male to the point that she will grow spurs stand taller,stop laying and basically act like a rooster to the point of crowing besides the lack of the ability to fertilize eggs and the other hens will treat her as a rooster so basically transgender rooster but if you have roosters around I don’t think that would be the case but we have some hens that act more masculine but still lay eggs and possibly even mother chicks that would be my guess for you

 

[SulkyBantam]

I haven had this exactly happen but I have heard that for some people when a rooster isn’t around a hen will basically transition to a male to the point that she will grow spurs stand taller,stop laying and basically act like a rooster to the point of crowing besides the lack of the ability to fertilize eggs and the other hens will treat her as a rooster so basically transgender rooster but if you have roosters around I don’t think that would be the case but we have some hens that act more masculine but still lay eggs and possibly even mother chicks that would be my guess for you

Hi, this thread is 12 years old
I also used to keep hens and no roos. One did grow spurs, but did not get male feathering, crow or display male behaviour. I know many people who just keep hens and can say that this definitely does not happen every time. You are right, the prob. just act a bit more masculine.

 

[Chicken_girl17]

Whoops I saw this thread come up in the similar threads section and saw it only had a couple responses didn’t even think to check the date *face slap*

Hi, this thread is 12 years old
I also used to keep hens and no roos. One did grow spurs, but did not get male feathering, crow or display male behaviour. I know many people who just keep hens and can say that this definitely does not happen every time. You are right, the prob. just act a bit more masculin

 

[SulkyBantam]

Whoops I saw this thread come up in the similar threads section and saw it only had a couple responses didn’t even think to check the date *face slap*

Its OK. 'Similar Threads' has made a lot of this happen. Its just best to check in the future!